Break the hold

The question of Peter (and the disciples) in our passage from yesterday still rings in my ears: “Who then can be saved?”  The rich young ruler has just walked away with his head bowed down in grief and sorrow because the answer to his question about how to inherit eternal life has devastated him. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  The rich young ruler didn’t have enough to buy his way into heaven.  In fact, the very thing that he thought made him successful actually condemned him.  His grasp on the possessions of his life prevented him from eternal life.  This is the reason Jesus uses the picture of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  It is the same for whatever a person clings to, rather than Jesus alone.  

It is said that to catch a monkey you can carve a hole in a gourd large enough for a monkey to get its hand inside the gourd.  You stake the gourd to the ground and place something to attract the monkey to the gourd.  The monkey will reach into the gourd, but as it seizes the treat, it cannot get its hand back out of the gourd.  The monkey is trapped by a desire and unwillingness to release the treat.

The rich young ruler had his hand in the gourd, clenching his possessions, unable to release them so he could embrace Jesus and the eternal life he sought.  And sorrow overwhelmed him!  Standing in the presence of the One who came to save him, and the possessions were too precious!

Everyone of us struggles with “possessions,” something that if we don’t release it, keeps us in captivity to sin and death.  So let me ask you a question: what is it that you have clenched inside the gourd that keeps you from embracing Jesus and eternal life?  What is it that you find more precious than the grace and mercy found in the forgiveness of Christ?  

Jesus’ reply to the disciple’s question of “Who then can be saved” tells us all we need to know about our goodness and our efforts to reach eternal life on our own.  He told them “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  You don’t think you can turn loose of what is inside your gourd?  You can’t!  But if you will turn to Jesus, admitting its hold on you, He will set you free, and He will save you.

Again, what are you holding onto instead of Jesus?

Pressing on…

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor